Elastic fabric



June 2, 1953 s. F. SICILIANO 2,640,508

ELASTIC FABRIC $Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Feb. 8, 1949 REPEAT 'uunull K REPEAT 4 3 4 3 FIG. I a PIE-r. a.

' |NV E.NTOR.

SAMUEL. F. Sncnumo BYWK.W'

June 2, 1953 s. s c uo 2,640,508

ELASTIC FABRIC Filed Feb. 8, 1949 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 REPEAT 4 3 REPEAT FIE-1E 3) 6' \NVENTOR.

\ QSAMUEL E-slclumo June 2, 1953 s N 2,640,508

ELASTIC FABRIC Filed Feb. 8, 1949 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 6 GI 65 sa 4 REPEAT REPEAT REPEAT a REPEAT PIE. 7 FIE-5 |NVENTOR. I SAMUEL F SICILIANO BY Mil-KW .leno elastic fabric. filling is interwoven with the elastic warp yarns forming one ply but not with the warps comprising the other ply throughout the length of a given .pair' or even-numbered sequence of successive picks, and then solely with the warps of the other plyon the following pair or equal even-numbered sequence of successive picks, throughout the major portion of the width of the fabric, the shift of thefilling from one ply to the other being con- .fined solely to one selvage of the fabric and thus .uniting the two plies along such selvage to close one end of the pocket, this construction providing Patented June 2, 1953 ELASTIC FABRIC Samuel F. Siciliano, Westerly, R. I., assignor to George C. Moore Company, Westerly, R. I., a corporation of Rhode Island Application February 8, 1949, Serial No. 75,271 Claims. (01. 139 -423) This invention relates to textile elastic fabrics primarily intended for the manufacture of garments such as corsets, girdles, and other supporting garments, and has among itsobjects the pro- Vision .of a novel elastic fabric which shall be *made of two plies in at least certain portions of .its length and area so as to provide all-elastic, pockets for, the insertion of bones or stays, and

which shall be capable of being made very porous so as to allow the air to penetrate through the fabric for improved ventilation, and of permitting the employment of. materials restricted to the side which goes next to the skin that are more suitable to withstand such contact, and of preventing the rubber warp threads from slipping along the filling and spreading when finger nails are dug into the fabric in donning the garment.

Additional objects of the invention include the provision of a novel fabric into which can be woven more picks per inch than in conventional weaves, as well as one enabling the optional use of a leno weave in conjunction with a plain weave where more picks are needed than the plain weave permits, or an all leno weave using a very -fine count of. filling to maintain thinness, at the same time gaining greater strength through the insertion of the extra-picks. Further objects are to make it possible to weave a stronger and more rugged elastic fabrics, and to make a fabric strong :and; stiff enough to obviate the need for the use .of reinforcing stays in order to make it lie flat .and avoidcurlin and creasing; also, to make a pocketed web more appropriate for use with leno .fabrics extensively used in corsets and girdles atpresent because it likewise is of leno construc- .tion. Additional objects are made plain here- --inafter.

To these ends, the invention provides a two-ply To form the pockets, the

an open-ended pocket for the insertion of a stay.

=When the pocket is to be closed at bothends, .the filling engages the outermost selvage warps at each selvage after each pick, and thetwo plies 'vals. .elastic, but are, runstraight and parallel to each 2 have a common selvage at each margin of the fabric. In making either type, the warps are crossed in leno fashion in their respective plies,

and preferably in the non-pocketed areas also,

to produce a very porous elastic fabric allowing .easy penetration of the air therethrough for increased ventilation. The tight gripping ofthe wefts by the warps which results .from theleno crossing acts along with the two-ply construction to prevent the filling from slipping along the warps and the warps from slipping along the filling and spreading under the pull of the wearers fingers and the penetrationof the finger nails' in pulling on the garment. The pockets are preferably begunand terminated by shifting the face leno warps to the back and the back leno warps to the face.

Other objects of the invention, and the manner of their attainment, are as made plainhereinafter.

An illustrative embodiment of the invention is shown in the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. l is a face view, and Fig. 2 a section on line 2-2. of Fig. l, of, thenovelfabric, woven in two separated plies to produce a pocket open. at

one selvage and closedat the otherselvage for the reception of a bone or stay, together with .an

adjoining section of solid leno fabric.

Fig. 3 is a face.-view,.and Fig. 4 a section on line 4-4 of Fig. 3, showing the novel two-ply leno fabric when made as a double fabric with -.a continuous succession of pockets alternately .closed at one selvage and closed at both selvages.

Fig. 5 is a face view, and Fig. .6 a section .on

line 6,6 of Fig. 5, showing an alternative form .of the two-ply solid leno portion of the fabric of Figs. 1 and 2. I

: Fig. 7 is a face View, and Fig. 8 asection on line 8-8 of Fig. 7, showing an alternative form with pockets openingat-one selvage only and an adjacent section of solid leno fabric.

The fabric of Figs. 1 and 2 is composed of elastic leno warps I, 2, 3, 4, comprising by far the greater part. of the width of the fabric, these warps being worked in pairs the members of which cross and re-cross in leno manner at inter- The selvage warps of the fabric are also other throughout the fabric; both the leno and the selvage warps are preferably made of the A part cept along one selvage, is indicated at A. At the 3 start of the pocket, the first pick of weft or filling is interwoven only with alternate pairs of the leno warps, those numbered I and 2, here constituting the top ply, throughout the width of the fabric, as indicated by the pick numbered 8, and passes over all but the fourth one of the selvage warps 6 at the left-hand selvage which is the open end of the pocket, over all the intermediate pairs of leno warps 3, l, of the bottom ply, over leno warps 2, under leno warps I, and under the 1st and 4th selvage warp I in from the right-hand selvage or closed end of the pocket. On the return pick I the weft passes over the 1st and 3rd selvage warps l in from the edge, interweaves only with the leno warps 3, 4, throughout the width of the fabric, passing under the leno warps I, 2, of the face or top ply, and goes over the 1st and th selvage warps in from the left-hand side. On the next pick I 2 the weft likewise floats under leno warps I, 2, and is interwoven only with the back or bottom ply leno warps. 3, 4 but oppositely to pick I0, and also oppositely to pick it? as regards the 151;, 3rd, and 5th selvage warps in from the left-hand selvage, and as regards the 1st, 3rd, and 5th selvage warps in from the right-hand salvage. These selvage warps engaged by the picks lo and 12 thus belong to the warp system of the bottom ply constituted for the rest of its width by leno warps 3, 4, except that the outermost warp I is common to both plies.

Pick I4, like pick 8, is interwoven with the individual members of each pair of top ply leno warps I, 2, which as noted alternate with pairs of bottom ply leno warps 3, 4, across the width of the fabrimpick M passing over all leno warps 4, but is worked reversely to pick 8 with respect to the outermost selvage warp 1 and with respect to the to plyleno warps I and 2, and does not engage the outermost selvage warps 6, though elsewhere the same as pick 8. Pick I6 likewise is interwoven with top ply leno warps I, 2, across the width of the fabric to the exclusion of bottom ply leno warps 3, and 4, but is worked reversely to pick I l as regards leno. warps I and 2, and also asregards the 2nd, 4th, and 6th selvage warps 6 at the left-hand selvage and as regards the 1st, 2nd,. and 4th. selvage warps. I counting inward from the right-hand. edge of. the fabric. These selvage warps just referred to therefore belong to the warp system of the top ply, along with .leno warps land 2,. except for the common outside salvage warp I. Thereafter, the next succeeding pair of picks engages only with the warps of the bottom ply, and the following pair only with the warps belonging to the top plys system, with the. exception of the one common selvage warp; while the final remaining pick I8 before reaching the lenocrossing is worked the same as pick Wand belongs to the bottom ply.

Following the tenth pick I8, all leno warps are crossed in their respective plies as indicated at 20. Thereafter, the weave just described is repeated, starting in the same ply as the final pick before. crossing, with successive crossings of the leno asindicated at 24 and 26 until the pocket has been given the desired extent lengthwise of the fabric to accommodate with reasonable stretching. the. width of bone or stay intended to be inserted in such pocket, at the end of which length the leno warps which have just formed the top ,ply are carried to the bottom and the .lenojwarps described as forming. the bottom ply are brought to the face in the same manner as isshoym at the leno crossings 22 in starting the pocket, thus joining the two plies along a line running transversely across the web of fabric at the commencement and at the completion of the pocket.

One manner of weaving the intervals between pockets to form a two-ply fabric which gives the appearance of being solid in the sense that it is devoid of perceptible pockets, is to interlacethe two plies, or rather the warps thereof, as indicated at B in Figs. 1 and 2. The first pick 28 of weft interweaves with leno warps I, 2, which at this point have been transferred to the bottom or back of the fabric, this pick making no engagement with the leno warps 3 and 4 lying at the top of the fabric. The next pick 3:! interweaves only with the leno-warps 3, t, which at this point in the fabric comprise the top ply; and the successive picks continue this alternating engagement until six picks have been laid in, three in the top ply and three in the bottom ply, after which the leno warps of each ply are not only crossed as indicated at 32 but also are transposed from the top to the bottom ply and from the bottornv to the top ply respectively, asshown in Fig. 2. During this interval of six picks, the weft, is caught around the outermost selvage warps 6,. I, at each side of the fabric and the rest. of the selvagev warps weave a solid fabric, thus uniting both plies at each. selvage. ilhis sequenceof: six picks followed by crossing and transfer of. the leno warps is repeated throughout the length desired: to be woven so as to appear solid and free from pockets. Thus throughout this length the two plies are interlaced at short intervals.

Asshown in Fig. 2, each ply contains only three picks of weft between the crossings of the leno warps at. 32 and 33 and in the finished fabric these three picks of weft. lie bundled closelytogether because of the binding effect of the leno crossing before and after them, coupled with the change of these warps from top to bottom and vice versa; while the leno crossings at th points 32 and 35 space the successive. bundles of weits both: plies apart in a manner which. givesthe fabric its characteristic desired feature of porosity, and the effect. of having heavy transverse ribs With the use of average sizes of weft and elastic leno warps, the leno crossings produce spaces in the plies which are substantially as wide as or wider than the two superposed. threepick bundles. By reducing. the number. of picks employed between leno crossings the ratio of the open portions of the fabric occurring at. these points to the width of the bundles of picks. tied by the leno warps is increased, thus. increasing still more the characteristic porosity and ventilation of. a garment made from the improved fabric, as well as its flexibility, without reducing its contractive strength. Yet the fabric is not lacking in body and substance, in spite of the frequent leno crossings, since the double construction inserts six picks in. the same length of. fabric occupied by three picks in an equivalent single fabric, or in a conventional l-ply leno. fabric, and by increasing the number of picks in a bundle th transverse stiffness of the fabric is enhanced to anextent obviating the need for bonesin certain uses, without impairing the flexibility imparted by the hinge action at the leno crossings. At the same time, an increased number of fine rubber warps can be used to get extra tension or pull in the fabric, without destroying the porous and ventilated character of the fabric.

Figs. 3 and 4 show the use of the invention principle in producing a two-ply. leno fabric whichis composed of successive sections-formed one-ply leno fabric.

of otherwise independent plies" that are respectively joined at oneselvage and joined at both selvages. Thus, in the interval indicated at C, the fabric is of two-ply construction with the two pliesindependent throughout, except at both selvages, with the leno warps of each ply crossed at intermediate points as indicated at 35 and 36, and with the wefts caught around the outermost selvage warps 6, l, at the end of each pick, and hence the two plies'are joined at each selvage throughout this interval, and also across the width of the fabric at the end of-this interval through the transposition of the leno warps from top to bottom ply and vice versa at the point of crossing of the lenos at 38. Thereafter in the interval D the weaving is carried on in analogous manner 'as regards the leno warps, except that the weft is worked reversely-to the leno warps as compared with the interval C; but while the outermost selvage warp l is engaged by each pick of weft to close the pocket along this edge, the selvage warps E at the other margin of the fabric are divided up again as in Figs. 1 and 2 into two systems, one engaged by the first pick following the leno crossings and by alternate pairs of succeeding picks to form a part of the bottom ply,

the other by the intervening pairs of picks and the final pick before the leno crossings 39, 4|, to form a part of the top ply, whereby the pocket is left open along this margin of the fabric.

At the completion of the pocket including the 'interva1 D, the leno warps are simultaneously crossed and transposed after the same manner as shown at 38, and the weaving resumed according to the sequence indicated at C, or as otherwise preferred, including a reversion to plain or other conventional weaves.

Figs. 5 and 6 show the employment of the invention to produce a two-ply leno fabric analogous to the portion B of'Figs. 1 and 2 but which is devoid of perceptible pockets throughout its entire length, such fabric being indicated for use -when the invention principles are employed to produce a porous and ventilated webbing which is made stiff enough to dispense with the use of stays through the insertion of more picks per inch than can be accomplished in a conventional The two plies are woven independently of each other with respect to the leno warps for a few picks, herein six picks, and then the warps of the top ply are transposed to the bottom ply and the bottom ply warps to the top ply, and the members of each pair of associated lenos crossed simultaneously therewith, and-after weaving another six picks the leno warps are again reversed and crossed in this manner, The selvage warps as hereinbefore are .dividedamong the two warp systems except that the selvage warps 6, l, weave a solid fabric to unite the plies at each selvage throughout. As

previously noted, there are no pockets existent in the finished fabric, since the leno crossings .bunch the three Wefts of each ply tightly together. and thus the areas occluded by the six .wefts in their two superposed bundles do not equal the intervening areas held open by the leno-crossings, in fabrics woven with average counts of weft.

" "Figs. 7 and 8 show a modification of the invention weave, to adapt the improved pocketed twoply leno fabric for easy application to the top of a girdle or similar supporting garment where it serves the purpose of preventing the rolling, folding, or creasing of the top portion thereof when worn. Like the fabric of Fig. 1, this fabric comprises pocketed sections E closed along the'selvage formed by selvage warps 1 and open at the other selvage for the insertion of bones or stays, alternating with other sections F of unpocketed and herein solid 2-ply construction. As distinguished from the other fabrics herein, this material is provided throughout it length, or as much thereof as desired, with a 2-ply, double,,or split selvage along the margin at which the pockets such as illustrated in section E areopen, i. e., the left-hand margin of Fig. 7. This enables the bones to be inserted in such pockets and the top edge of the girdle or other garment to be inserted between the two separable plies of the double selvage all the way. around the garment, whereupon the boned waistband comprised by the thus stiifened invention fabric is then permanently attached by rows of stitches encircling the garment and passing clear through the superposed selvage ply, the intervening portion of the top margin of the garment, andthe underlying ply of the selvage. Thismakes .a neat, smooth, strong and durable junction of the waistband to the garment, and holds the bones permanently against the escape from their pockets. m

The double selvage is formed by increasing. the number of selvage warps in the selvagehaving the pocket openings, and employing selvage warps 63 and the inner one of binder warps 65 along with leno warps 3 and 4 to form the bottom ply, and using selvage warps 6| and the outer one of the two binder warps 65 along with leno warps l and 2 to form the top p1y,-of the pocketed section E. The working of the leno warps I, 2, 3, 4, is analogous to that employed in Figs. 1 and 3 as herein explained. Thus this pocket is open along the left-hand edge of section E, Fig. 7, for the introduction offthe supporting bone.

In the solid two-ply portion F, the binder warps 65 are each interwoven with the wefts of both the top and bottom weft planes, thus uniting the two plies of the split selvage along a line intermediate the width thereof. However, the selvage warps at each side of binder warps 65 are worked substantially the same as in the pocketed section E, so that the warps-6| form with their Wefts the top ply of the split selvage, and the warps 63 with their proper wefts form the bottom ply thereof. The width of the free portion of the two selvage plies is made as needed or desired to give the proper degree of overlap at each surface of the top portion of the garment on which it is to be used, as noted by the repeat of the bracket of four warps lying outside of binder warps 65 in Fig.7. 1

' The main width of the fabric, from innermost selvage warp 6| across to the right-hand margin, is woven as a solid two-ply fabric devoid of pockets, adjacent pairs of leno warps respectively changing from top to bottom and from bottom to top after each two picks of filling, the members of each pair of lenos being also crossed after each series of six picks to open up the fabric at intervals for ventilation and to provide the suppleness which the hinge action at the leno crossings affords, as well .as to bunchthe groups of six picks into bundles by the binding action of the leno'crossingsbefore and after them. This 7 as binders-throughout the interval F, though the two pliesare separable from these last named selvage warps to the nearest pair of lenosii, .4; a similar condition exists inwardly from; binder warps 66 to the nearest lenos 3, 4, throughout the interval F.

.As is, obvious, this split selvage constructionis equally applicable to. other forms of the invention,.such asthe fabrics'of Figsll, 3'aznd 5.

Where. a softsurface against the wearers skin isdesired, alternate pairsof leno warps covered withv soft material are used with: intermediate pairsof lenos havinga more durable or showier type of. covering, and the soft-coveredxwarpsa are kept: at one surface tov formthe. back ply of. the fabric. as by uniting the plies at intervals by meanslof the weave used at B: in=.Figs. land-2'01 that used at E" in. Figs. 7 and 8, making these junction sections very short so that the soft-covered warps are only absent.- from the. back for short distances. The showier:warps-similarly are keptwhollyin the. face ply;v

The. invention enables the weaver of elastic fabrics :to attain all-greater rangeofdifierentrcharacteristicsnl these fabrics thanheretofore; since in addition to the advantages already indicated he canxnsethe two-ply leno weave in. conjunction with: areas woven with: a plain. weave to; insert morepicks per inch than is-possilole in. the plain weave at any point where more picksv are desirable; or he. can: employ the novel two-p y leno weavensing a very fine count of weft to produce a t-hinfabric, at the. same time gaining eater strength weftwise of the fabric withv the extra picks per inch. which the improved weave. pm-

It will be .imoerstoedsthat the; invention is not restricted: to thense. of elastic. warps and inelastic weft, but contemplates; the use of elastic wars with elastic weft, or non-elastic warp. withealstic weft, .orany combination of elastic and non-elastic warp and weft.

While I haveillustrated and described certain forms in which. the invention may be embodiecLl am aware-that many modifications may be made therein by person skilled in the art, without departing from the. scope of. the invention as expressed in the claims. Therefore,- I do notv wish to be limitedto, the particular forms shown. or to the details of construction thereof, but

What I .do claim-is:

1.. A two-ply leno fabric. including-elastic yarns in which-the .lenowarps of the. two plies respectil/.815 first lie. in the face DIN and the back, ply

of. the fabric, and then shift to the other ply to lie in the back: and face plies respectively.

2. A two-ply leno fabric including elastic-yarns inwhich the leno warps of the two plies-respectively first lie in. the face ply and the back ply of' lihe fabric, and then shift tothe other ply t0 lie'in the hack and face .plies respectivelylandaite crossed as they pass from face to back andfrom hack to face plies.

3. A. fabric including elastic warpyarns composed of two plies in each of which the warps are w crossed in. leno manner, with the plies united along transverse lines by :transposing warns of each plyinto the other ply...

4. A two-:ply leno fabric including elastic yarns which. each pick of weft is interwoven solely with the warns of: its own ply except at asclv sc throughout substantial intervals of the. f brics length, and at other intervals of; the fabrics length each pick is interwoven with warns: of both plies where crossed iii-leno manner..

5 A two-ply leno fabric includin ela ticyarrns in-which thetwo plies are woven independently of each; other, except at one or both sol-v ses, throughout substantial intervals: of its length. and-at other in ervals f its length-the two plies are. interwoven. both intervals incl din warps crossed in leno manner;

6.; A two-ply-lmo fabric includin elastic yarns in which the two plies ar woven independentl oaohotlier; exc pt a one salvage.- throughout substantialintervals ofits len th, and woveniinr dependently of. each other. except. at b th selvases at other intervals of its len th,

7. A fabric including. elastic warp y rnsand. a single weft yarn, composed of two slice in; which the weft engages the warp of coil on my on each pick except: at one or: bo h selvases. and the plies are joihedat-intervals along, transverse lines by transposing. the warps of each ply into the other-ply; and the warps are crossedinkno manner-intermediate the lines of. j ction.

.8. A. two-ply leno fabric including l s ic yarns in which the.- two plies are separate from: each other except atone or. both eel-vases forzintervals of substantial length, at the end of which intervals the warps of the face I313- are transposed to the. back l the warps of he back P157 are transposed to theface. ply and. are crossed Leno manner at'the location-where such chan e o curs.

9. A, two-pl leno fabric including elasticyarns in which the two plies. are separate from other except at one or both seliiazges for. intervals of: substantial length, at the end of wh intervals the warps .ofthe face p15 are transposed to the back ply and the warps of-the back ply are transposedto the-faceoly si cere crossed in leno manner at the location where such chan e occurs, and: at points intermediate the lengths of the separate plies.

lo. A. 'twOe-ply leno fabric including elastic yarns in. which thetwo plies are separate from each other except at one margin for certainintervals and joined to to. each other, at least at both margins for other intervals, in which, lat.- ter intervals a split sci-vase. of two separated plies liesoutside the line f junction of the firstnamed two plies at one margin,

SAMUEL SICILIANO.

References .Cited in the: file of this; patent.

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